Automatic-release clevis



J. M. KAHL.

AUTOMATIC RELEASE CLEVIS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 1920.

1,37 9,574. Patented y 24 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- 0 y 1 i) ol 0 L M. KAHL.

AUTOMATIC RELEASE CLEVIS. APPLICATION FILED AUG-16, 1920.

1,379,574, Patented May 24, 119211.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M NNNNNN OR A'ITORN EY STES JOHN M. KAHL, F HEATON, NORTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMATIC-RELEASE CLEVIS.

Application filed August 16, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN M. Kenn, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Heaton, in the county of Wells and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic-Release Clevises of which the following is a specification. V

.The object of my present invention is the provision of an automatic release clevis that is eflicient and durable and at the same time is adapted to be manufactured at small cost.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, hereby made a part hereof 2- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved construction of sections.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figs. 3 to 6 are views making clear certain features of construction hereinafter explicitly referred to.

Fig. 7 is a top view of a modified form of the member clevis or body, designed to connect the release clevis with the draw bar of a tractor plow.

' Similar numerals designate corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 6 to which reference will first be made.

The body 1 is designed to be attached to a plow in the same manner as any ordinary upright clevis. The said body is equipped with apertured arms 2 and 3 to receive a bolt 4 that carries a nut 5. The arm 2 is integral with the body 1, while the arm 3 is 7 provided with a reduced portion 6 and a head 7 whereby the arm 3 may be detachably connected with the body 1 which is hollow and isprovided with its wall 8 with an opening 9 the upper portion of which is comparatively large as illustrated. The opposite walls 10 of the body 1 are provided with apertures 11 to receive a pin. 12 and to permit of. the adjustable positioning at the desired point of the body of a roller 13. It will be understood from the foregoing that the body 1 and its appurtenances are adapted to form a clevis and to serve substantially the same purpose as the clevis 4O disclosed in my last Patent No. 1,327 ,480 of January 6, 1920.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 I prefer to employ a pin 14 for the connection of my improvement to draft means (not illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Serial No. 403,662.

trated). I also prefer to employ a chain or other cable 15 to limit the forward movement of the automatic release clevis when the latter 1s automatically detached from the clevis 1; the said chain or cable 15 being connected at 1 6 to the lower jaw 17 of the release clevis. The jaw 17 is pivoted at 18 to the body 19 of the release clevis and is provided at 20 with a concave seat. In the underside of the jaw 17 is provided a concave seat 21 for a rounded bearing member 22, threaded on a connecting rod 23 which extends through the jaw 17 and also through the upper jaw 2-4 which is preferably integral with the body 19. Pivot-ally connected at 25 to the upper portion of the body 19 is a lever 26 which is bifurcated at 27 and piv-- otally connected at 28 through the said connecting rod 23. Bearing in the upper portion of the body 19 and arranged with its head under the lever 26 is a tension-adjusting screw 29. Pivotally connected at 30 to the upper portion of the body 19 is a trip member 31, the lower arm of which is apertured as indicated by 32, and the upper arm of which is pivotally connected at 33 to a lever 34 that is designed to rest in superim posed position on the lever 26 and has its free portion deflected slightly upward as indicated by 35 so that the lever may be readily grasped by the operator. At 36 the lever 34 is provided with a curvilinear arm to receive the free end of the lever 26 for a purpose'hercinaft'er set forth. Secured at 37 in the upper portion of the body and arranged longitudinally of the body is a bolt 38 the opposite end portion of which is deflected upwardly as indicated by. 39 and is equipped with a nut 40, arranged against the abutment 41 provided on the upper portion of the body. Surrounding the said bolt 38 is a coil spring 42 which bears against the apertured lower arm of the trip member 31.

The upper jaw 24 of the release clevis is provided with a rounded seat 43, complementary to the seat 20, and the said seats 29 and 43 are designed to receive the before described roller 13 on the clevis 1 with a view to maintaining connet-ti on between the automatic release clevis and the clevis 1 so' long as the automatic release clevis is not subjected to undue strain. It will be understood in this connection that the jaws 17 and 24 are designed to rest in the bifurcation of the hollow clevis body 1 so that the side walls of the clevis body will preclude lateral disengagement of the jaws 17 and 24 from the roller 13.

In the event of the automatic release clevis being subjected to undue stress or strain it will be observed that the jaw 17 will swing downwardly against the action of the spring 42 and will bring about the release of the clevis from the roller 13. This will be better understood when it is stated that the spring 42 will under stress permit the lower arm of the trip member 31 to swing toward the left in Fig. 1 with the result that the upper arm of the said trip member will be free to swing upwardly with the lever 26, and the lever 34:. i

It will be understood from the foregoing that my novel automatic release clevis con struction is susceptible of being readily regulated. For instance the lever 3 L may be pulled. upwardly by hand, and when said lever is so pulled upwardly it will raise the lever 26 and the upper arm of the trip member 31 against the action of the spring 42 until the pivot of the lever 34,- is beyond the dead center when the lever 34 will be relieved'of the pressure of the spring 42. To close the automatic release clevis it is simply necessary to press the lever 26 downwardly until .it reaches a point under the lever 34 and adjacent to the pivot 33, whereupon downward movement of the lever 34 will be attended by compression of the spring 42 and the lever 26 will be yieldingly secured in its closed position. 7

In lieu of the body 1 hereinbefore described I may use the body 1 shown in Fig. 7 the said body 1 being designed particularly for the connection ofthe release clevis with the draw bar of a tractor plow. As shown the body 1 has a portion 2 for connection with the draw bar of a plow, and is equipped with a roller 13*. I

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In an automatic release clevis, a'pair of jaws, one of which is mounted to move toward and from the other, and the other of which is equipped for the connection of draft means, means yieldingly held by the jaws and adapted tobe'released when the mov able jaw is moved away from the other, a lever pivotally connected with the said other jaw, a connecting. rod-interposed between and connecting the movable jaw and said lever, a rocking trip member connected with the immovable jaw, a spring arranged tobearagainst one arm of the said trip member, and a second lever pivoted to the other arm of the trip member and having a portion receiving the free end of the firstnamed lever.

2. An automatic release clevis comprising a body having a jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the body, a connecting rod engaged with the movable jaw, a lever fulcrumed on the body and connected with the connecting rod, a trip member pivoted on the body, a second lever pivoted to one arm of the trip member and having a portion receiving the free end of the first-named lever, and a spring housed in the body and bearing against the other arm of the trip member.

3. An automatic release clevis comprising a body having a jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the body, a connecting rod engaged with the movable jaw, a lever i'ulcrumed on the body and connected with the connecting rod, a trip member pivoted on the body, a second lever pivoted to one arm of the trip member and having a portion receiving the free end of the first-named lever, a bolt connected to the other arm of the trip member, and a spring housed in'the body and hearing against the said arm of the trip member; the said spring being mounted on and interposed between a portion of the bolt and the said arm of: the trip member, and the bolt being threaded and equipped with a nut opposed to an abutment on the body.

4. An automatic release clevis comprising a body having a jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the body, a connecting rod engaged with the movable jaw, a lever fulcrumed on the body and connected with the connecting rod, a trip member pivoted on the body, a second lever pivoted to one arm of the trip member and having a portion receiving the free end of the first-named lever, a spring housed in the body and bearing against the other arm of the trip member, and an adjusting screw bearing in the body and arranged under the first-named lever.

5. An automatic release cleviscomprising a body having a jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the body, a connecting rod engaged with the movable jaw, a lever fulcrumed on the body and connected with the connecting rod. a trip member pivoted on the body, a second lever pivoted to one arm of the trip member and having a portion receiving the free end of the first-named lever, and a spring housed in the body and bearing against the other armof the trip member, an adjusting screw bearing in the body and arranged un- 

